GRVS had a small N-trak layout (20 feet of moduiles and two return loops) at the 2011 Sartell Summerfest train show held in the Sartell ice rink. This looks like a growing show. This year there were only a few layouts. In the past there has also been a craft show at the same time. This year that event moved to another location opening up more space for trains. Apparently there are several additional layouts that will be in the show next year.
We deliberately keep the GRVS layout small so we could set it up Saturday morning in a couple of hours. If we want to do a bigger layout in future shows here we could set up Friday evening as some of the other clubs did. Since this was GRVS' first time at this how we wanted to keep it simple. Depending on how much space the additional layouts need there is probably space available for a bigger GRVS layout.
This was a nice pleasant venue with the most level floor we've ever seen for a train show. (It has to be for the hocky rink ice.) There was really no need for levels; just measure from the floor!
The crowd wasn't huge, but they were quite interested. Our comparatively small n-scale trains seemed unfamiliar to many of the visitors so we had fun explaining the relative sizes of different scales.
On Saturday we ran four trains simultaneously on the layout's single loop creating pretty high traffic density. There were four nice length passing sidings (two each on the front and back track) as well as the middle track running the length of the layout which could also be used as a siding so we did run bidirectionally part of the day.
On Sunday we ran a long ore train (115 cars) that essentially filled the length of the layout. Some of the guys rom the other clubs expressed surprise that we could run a train that long. It was a crowd pleaser as every time it was stopped to take it off somebody asked can it really run so it had to go around for another lap or two. Meanwhile, shorter trains that fit in the sidings were also running.
The GRVS layout.
Another view of the layout
Long ore train starting around one of the return loops.
It really is in a hockey rink!